---

Saving Gateway Accounts Bill

Does my hon. Friend agree that if interest is not offered on those accounts, the following lesson or habit is likely to result? People will become subsidy farmers searching for bonuses from the taxman, rather than search for economic returns on their savings, so we will not necessarily succeed in creating a savings culture. Does he agree, too, that further to his earlier point about the distance that people must travel to account providers, if there is not sufficient local competition, especially where there is low bank penetration and there are not many branches, interest is even less likely to be offered?